Veteran Trevor Harris gives Alouettes solid 1-2 punch at quarterback

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It’s been many seasons since Trevor Harris reported to a CFL team’s training camp as anything but the starter.

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Nonetheless, when the veteran takes the field in mid-May with the Alouettes — two weeks shy of his 36th birthday — he’ll have no qualms preparing himself for whatever role he’s asked to fill. Following a winter during which he didn’t know where, or if, he’d play, Harris welcomes the challenge of having to prove himself again.

“If there comes a time where I get an opportunity to play, you can bet I’m going to be ready to play,” Harris told the Montreal Gazette this week from his winter home in Galena, Ohio. “It’s been a while since I’ve had this mindset, where I’m backed into a corner and get to fight. I’m excited about that.

“It’s about what situation’s going to help me grow. Coming into a different role is going to help me grow. Besides, No. 2 is a label, just like Division II is a label. You’re never going to be defined by where you are on the depth chart at the beginning of the season.”

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Harris, acquired by the Als last October in a trade from Edmonton shortly after starter Vernon Adams Jr. sustained a season-ending shoulder injury, re-signed with Montreal this month — just after the start of free agency, and despite being released by the team on Dec. 20. The latter was hardly a surprise, considering Harris was due an off-season $300,000 bonus this month.

Harris, heading into his 10th CFL season, has been around long enough to understand how the business works, and knew the Als had no intention of honoring the commitment he had previously signed with Edmonton. And Harris appreciated general manager Danny Maciocia releasing him early, so he could test the waters throughout the league.

Harris knew there would be options, including Ottawa, where Jeremiah Masoli eventually signed, BC, following the retirement of Michael Reilly, Edmonton, Toronto and even the Als, because Maciocia never closed the door. Indeed, 24 hours after the start of free agency, and seeing Harris still on the market, Maciocia circled back to Paul Brown, the player’s agent.

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“I heard some wild responses from my agent… what teams were saying,” Harris said. “It was pretty eye-opening. But there were discussions with other teams. I thought, three or four different days, it was just a matter of a couple of hours, back and forth, and it would be settled. It depends on who has the leverage, but there were a couple of different places that, quite frankly, weren’t scared to have come in, in that No. 2 role.”

The Als signed Harris for one season. His base salary from him calls for $125,000 but, with incentives, he could earn slightly more than $200,000.

The dynamics have changed since he left. Dominique Davis was signed, following his release from Ottawa, to battle Harris for the backup role, while Matthew Shiltz was released and signed with the Tiger-Cats. And former Als legendary quarterback Anthony Calvillo has joined the coaching staff to mentor the pivots.

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As much as Calvillo can become a beacon for the quarterbacks, Harris, too, can be the guy who pushes Adams to succeed. And having Harris looking over Adams’ shoulder is not necessarily the worst scenario for an organization that has gone more than a decade without a Gray Cup. If Adams was feeling secure in his role, that has changed.

“I firmly believe I’m a top-five quarterback, and I think I can back that up,” Harris said. “I think AC can teach me a lot of things about playing the position.

“When you have an established guy on the roster (even) on the sideline, it’s very different than having an unproven guy. Montreal wasn’t nervous having me be that guy.”

Harris played portions of four games with the Als, completing 64 of 91 passes for 703 yards along with eight touchdowns and two interceptions. While Harris had to learn the playbook quickly, and was often behind a mediocre line, Montreal also went 1-3 down the stretch.

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The Als then lost the East Division semifinal in Hamilton, a game in which Harris committed four turnovers, including three fumbles.

“I’m certain I’ll be a better player next year than I was last year,” Harris said. “I felt we were the better team (than Hamilton) that day; I honestly do. They took advantage of the opportunities and did a great job. We didn’t.”

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